Monitoring of the Recovery Process of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant from VHR SAR Images

• Liu Wen

  Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University

• Yamazaki Fumio

  Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University

• Sasagawa Tadashi

  PASCO Corporation

Abstract

The Mw9.0 earthquake hitting the Tohoku area on Japan’s Pacific coast on March 11, 2011, triggered huge tsunamis and a Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant breakdown. Due to high radiation levels, plant damage could only be assessed from satellite images. Our study involves four very-high-resolution (VHR) TerraSAR-X/TanDEX-X SAR intensity images taken under different acquisition conditions and used to try and determine reactor building damage. Layover and radar shadow areas were specified first based on building footprint and height, then backscattering patterns in these areas were modeled by introducing sectional views of the target building. Criteria for detecting damage from individual SAR scenes were used to compare simulated backscattering patterns to actual SAR intensity images. Damage to other reactor buildings was then identified based on these criteria. Results were confirmed by comparisons to two optical VHR WorldView-2 images and ground photos.

Journal

• Journal of Disaster Research

  Journal of Disaster Research 11 (2), 236-245, 2016-03-01

  Fuji Technology Press Ltd.

Keywords

• building damage
• geometric features
• WorldView-2
• TerraSAR-X
• TanDEM-X

Details

• CRID: 1390282763127548160
• NII Article ID: 130007673487
• DOI: 10.20965/jdr.2016.p0236
• ISSN: 18838030
• ISSN: 18812473
• NDL BIB ID: 027252379
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I027252379
• Web Site: https://www.fujipress.jp/main/wp-content/themes/Fujipress/phyosetsu.php?ppno=DSSTR001100020008
• Text Lang: en
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed